Don't Ski or Snowboard...Try Snowshoeing Instead

Everybody knows that the top two winter sports are snowboarding and skiing. Have you ever thought of snowshoeing?

Well, maybe it's time you did.

Here are some hints to make you adventure safe and fun.

It should be obvious but make sure the snowshoes you pick are lightweight. These guys can range from less than a pound apiece to several pounds for each shoe...ouch! I think you can appreciate the difficulty lugging heavy weights around especially if it's part of your foot. Advice... choose the lightest snowshoe you can that fits your foot comfortably.

You need to find the correct snowshoe that's rated for your weight. Without the proper rating, you can find yourself sinking into that fresh, white powdery stuff called snow. There are shoes rated for children of 30 pounds to adults over 300 pounds. With all these choices, you should have no difficulty finding the right size and rating.

The beauty of snowshoeing is the entire family can do it. They do have child snowshoes so take the whole family. Warning: don't tackle difficult hills with children. If the family is with you, start off with the hills that are manageable for everyone. Tackle the difficult ones when you're with more capable people and when you are more experienced.

People often forget that you need lots of water and some sort of food. While snowshoeing is not as strenuous as skiing or snowboarding, it still needs energy. Your body will need to be replenished with food and water. Bring snack type food like granola bars or a healthy trail mix and don't forget that bottle of water for each person especially if the day is sunny. Remember, don't eat yellow snow.

Even though it's cold out while you're enjoying yourself, you are expending lots of energy and therefore are going to get hot unless it's extremely cold. With this in mind, go with the idea of dressing in layers of clothing that can be removed as the body heats up and put back on when needed. A waterproof, nylon shell is important as it's lightweight and will protect you from wetness. Hot, bulky, winter coats are not what you want. Why? The exercising you are doing will raise your body temperature and those bulky coats will not feel good as you will be sweating.

Boots...yeah you'll need them. Waterproof are the best type. With all the snow you'll be plowing through, your feet will probably get wet unless you have very good waterproof boots. It may not be a bad idea to bring extra dry socks.

Don't push yourself to exhaustion. Rest when you feel you need to. Stop and smell the roses or in this case snow. Buy the way, does snow smell? While resting, drink some water and snack a bit to revive your body. Be careful you don't get too carried away and travel so far that you can't return to your starting point. Like any physical exercise, take your time and build yourself up to greater challenges when your body is conditioned.

Begin your adventures by following these ideas and enjoy the third greatest snow sport.